Air spring and shock absorber



Jan. 2, 1951 s. l.. c. COLEMAN AIR SPRING AND sHocK ABsoRBER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 19, 1946 INVENTOR.v 5MP/eff L C (mf/VAN Jan. 2, 1951 s. L. c. COLEMAN AIR SPRING AND sHocK ABsoRBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 19, 1946 INVENTOR. W 7@ rfPf/f/v C. (mf/ww Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED AIR SPRING AND SHOCK ABSORBER Stephen Leonard Chauncey Coleman, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada Application December 19, 1946, Serial No. 717,305 In Great Britain November 1, 1946 Claims.

My invention relates to a pneumatic spring, particularly to a spring suitable for receiving sharp impacts in vehicles, such for example as automobiles and airplanes, and in which the rebound is checked or deadened. The spring of my invention also provides a liquid or hydraulic means to aid in checking the stroke and rebound.

In the spring of my invention I provide a resilient or elastic air chamber of bellows or other suitable type between the impact transmitting and receiving elements as, for example, between the sprung and unsprung elements of a vehicle.

Communicating with this resilient bellows element are one or more chambers or reservoirs having check valves to receive freely air compressed in the bellows element and to hold it from returning until the bellows element has reached a certain stage or point in its return movement on rebound.

With this arrangement the air compressed on the compression of the bellows element and trapped in the reservoir or chamber does not take part in the rebound until after a considerable part of the rebound has taken place and the air in the bellows has lost its expansive force, whereupon the air released from the reservoir serves to return the spring element to its normal loaded position. In this way the force of the rebound is divided and prevented from attaining velocity.

Within the pneumatic bellows there is also provided a telescoping cylinder or cylinders between the unsprung element and the sprung element to serve as a guide and to protect against sidewise distortion. Within this cylinder is also provided a hydraulic cylinder and a piston which is actuated upon a compression stroke to force liquid from one side of the piston -to the other. On the compression stroke the liquid may flow from the compression face of the piston through a series of restricted passages in the hollow piston shaft. On the` rebound or 11p-stroke the liquid returns through these passages. The passages are preferably distributed throughout a hollow stem of the piston in such a manner that as the piston returns on a rebound the number of openings decreases and, therefore, the resistance to new of the liquid increases thereby increasing the absorption of the rebound shock.

The shortening movement of the telescoping cylinders may also be arranged to operate an element such as a sliding sleeve to close the return opening from the air reservoir to the bellows throughout a part of the stroke and return. The upper end of the hydraulic rebound check or shock absorber element is also in communication freely with the bellows element to equalize the air pressure above the liquid level of the hydraulic element with that in the bellows.

The various features of my invention are illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a vehicle spring` suspension embodying a preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view on a much smaller scale of the spring suspension;

Fig. 3 is a vertical view at right angles to that of Fig. 2 and on a similarly smaller scale;

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a side view of one check valve and a section through another check valve taken in line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 6 and '7 are vertical sections, on a larger scale, of parts of the hydraulic rebound checking or shock absorber element.

In the accompanying drawings an embodiment of the invention particularly suited for the spring suspension of motor vehicles is illustrated in which an air spring Ill'of bellows-like construction is supported between a base II carried on a running gear of the vehicle and a support I2 for the sprung weight of the vehicle.

The support I 2 is held against side thrusts and the air spring I is protected from distortions by a telescoping tube extending upwardly through the air spring I o and comprising a lower tubular element I3 rigidly mounted in the lower part of the base II and an upper tubular element I4 secured to the support I 2.

The air spring IE) may comprise any number of bellows elements, two such elements I5 and I5 being shown in the drawings by way of example. These elements may be of the general form of a vehicle tire of Vsmall diameter joined together in an air-tight joint to leave central openings through which the telescoping tubes I3, It may extend from the base II to the support I2. These elements may be formed of any suitable resilient material, preferably' of 'rubber reinforced with fabric.

The upper end of the air spring is sealed gas-v tight to the support I2, and the lower end is securedI and sealed gas-tight to the base I I about an opening I'! through which the telescoping tubes I3, I4 pass with suiiicient clearance to provide a free passage of air into a recess I8 within the base II. The recess I8 in turn communicates with one or more reservoirs I9 and 20 two being shown by way of example). Air may lGW freely from the recess 'IB into the reservoirs I9 and 2i] through inlet check valves 2| and 22 respectively when the air pressure within the air spring I3 exceeds that within the reservoirs.

The valves 2i and 22 may be oi any suitable construction, those shown in the drawings comprising a valve plate 23 having a stem 24 extending through a guide 25 and held resiliently on the valve seat by a spring 25 secured between the end of the valve stem 24 and the guide 25. The valves 2 I and 22, therefore, freely admit air under pressure from the air spring to the reservoirs when the air spring is compressed, but trap the air and prevent its returning to the air spring or bellows.

Upon a rebound and as the support I2 approaches its normal loaded position in relation to base support II the air entrapped in the reservoirs I9, 25, may return through return passages 2l and 28 respectively. VDuring the compression stroke of the air spring the passages 2l, 28 are closed by check valvesV 25V and 3U'. On a rebound the air tends to return through passages 2l, 2B, opening the check valves 25, 3IJ.

However, during the greater part of the compression stroke and the initial part of the return or rebound, the valves 25, 3i? are held closed means of a locking sleeve 3l carried by the tubular element' I4 which moves with the. support i2.

TheV locking sleeve 3 I' slides freely on the tubular element i4 and is hung or supported on the lower end of the tubular element I4 by means of a shoulder or collar 32' secured to the upper end of the sleeve by' means of a screw 33 and resting on a shoulder 34 secured on the lower end of. the tubular element I4.

In the normal loaded position of the air spring, the sleeve 3l is in the position shown in full linesi in Fig. 1. When the telescoping tubes i3 and I4 shorten under a compression force the sleeve 3I assumes the position shown in broken lines thereby wedging the return check valves 23 and 35 in position; to. close the passages 2l and 28'. shorten still further. The locking sleeve 3| will then be supported on the inclined faces of the check valves 29 and 35. When the air spring and telescoping tubes extendon a rebound the loclring sleeve I remains in the broken line position till nearly the endof the rebound and until thev shoulder or collar 34 contacts thev lower face of the collar 32 and liftsl the sleeve 3! sufficiently to permit the valves 29, 313', to open. The passages 2.128- may be somewhat more restricted than the passages throughl the` valves 2l and 22.

Through the above construction when the air spring is compressed by an upward thrust on the support II or a downward movement of the support I2, the compressed. air ows into the reser voirs l-S and 28 respectively, trapping a portion of the air. On rebound the amount of air exerting an upward thrust onl the support I2 is thus less than the amount available in the air spring under normal loaded` position and the thrust is thus greatly minimized.

However, as the spring approaches its normal loaded position air may then return from the reservoirsv to give the normal supporting pressure. Inthis way the force of the-rebound is moderated and controlled, the air pressure; decreasing more rapidly at the beginning of the rebound and bein. reinforced. toward. the end as its force dies ou The check valves29and 3D may beof any suitn able constructiornbutas shownv in detail in Fig. 4 may consist of. av plate 35. supported at. its upper The telescoping tubes I4 and l5 then end by a pintle 3S mounted in a plate 31 secured to the wall of the respective reservoirs I9 and 20 by screws or other suitable fastening means 38.

The support I2 may be secured to the upper part ci the bellows or spring element in any suitable manner. As shown in the specic embodiments in the accompanying drawings, it comprises a tapered shaft 39y which may be Secured to the chassis or unsprung weight for which purpose it is threaded as at 4I] at its upper end. The lower end of the shaft 39 is provided with a ball 4I which rests on a block 42 threaded into the upper end of the tube I4 and having a seat or recess ofV globular curvature complementary to the ball 4i. The ball 4I is retained in its seat on the block 42 by means, of a plug 43 having a face complementary to the ball 4I.

The plug 43 may be threaded downwardly in the tube to retain the ball 4I in a close t with the block l2 and is preferably provided with recesses l at spaced intervals in its upper surface into which a retainer 45', secured to the tubeA may be inserted thereby preventing the plug di? from unscrewing during vibrations. Also secured to the upper end of the tubeV I4 is an outwardly aring or flanged collar 45 to which the upper edge of the air spring or bellows element may be secured in gas-tight joint byl means of a ring Ll'l secured to the collar 46 by means of bolts or any other suitable securing means.

The collar 5B may be secured to the upper end ci the tube I4 by any suitable means, such as by welding as indicated 'at 49; Thev outer edges of the flange 45' and ring 4'I are curved reversely to provide a gradual or rounded contact with the bellows I5 and may be roughened on their opposed edges to grip the upper edgev of the air spring or bellows more firmly.

The above arrangement permits the supporting member l-i to rock to a limited extent with reference to the sprung mass and follow the undulations of the aXle and thus. avoid destructive side stresses. A lubricating duct and grease cup 5I may be provided in the stem 39.

The two bellows elements I5 and I6 may be secured together in any suitable way as, for eX- arnp'e, by a pair of reversely dished rings 52 and 53 having roughened edges between which the adjacent ends of the bellows are inserted and gripped by means of bolts 54. Thelower end of the bellows element I5 is secured directly to the support. II by means of a securing collar 55 and bolts 5e, the collar 55 being suitably rounded and provided with a roughened gripping surface to engage'the lower end of the bellows element I5. The air spring may be filled by any type of air pump through any suitable device, such as anV the drawings it is secured by adisc SI having av depending stem 52 threaded and locked into the upper end of the stem 5)- The disc 5I is secured in contact with the block 42 and the tube element i4 by means of a recessed discv 63 having. av

threaded edge screwed into the tube I4 im.- mediately below the block. 42.

The piston.

This method of attaching the piston stem 68 permits of slight sidewise play and allows the piston stem to align itself with the piston 58 and other parts of the spring. Preferably the plug 42 has an annular recess adjacent the plate or disc 63 which is filled with a circular gasket 64 to provide a gas-tight connection.

The tube I3 is iilled with a suitable uid, such as an oil or shock absorber fluid, to a level near the top of the tube I 3. When the piston 58 moves downwardly relative to the base II it decreases the volume or space below the piston and forces a corresponding amount of the iiuid upwardly through the hollow stem 88. The stem 60 is provided with a series of spaced openings 65 which increase in size toward the upper end of the piston and through which liquid may flow from the space below the piston to the space above it.

The lower end of the tubular element I3 is closed by a .plug 66 threaded into the lower end of the tube and sealed by circular welds 61.

The tubular element I3 may also be provided on its outer surface with a shoulder 68 formed integrally thereon or welded by means of circular welds 69.

A fiat gasket 18 is sealed between the bottom plate of the base II and the lower surface of the plug 66, tubular element I3 and flange 58. The fiange 68 serves also to secure the tubular element to the base II by any suitable securing means.

A filling tube 1I of small diameter is secured in the plug 66 by being brazed to a screw plug 12 threaded into the plug 65 and extends upwardly into the hollow piston stem 68. The screw plug 12 is provided with a ring gasket 13 between the head of the screw 12 and the lower face of the base Il so as to form a fluid-tight seal. The gasket may be protected by a ring 14 with upturned edges. The plug may be prevented from turning by a side plate secured thereto and secured to the lower face of the base by means of a screw 16. The plug 12 is provided with a central filling opening or passage communicating with the filling tube 1 I. This opening is normally closed by means of a screw 11 having a tapered upper end closing the passage into the tube 1I, but may be threaded outwardly a short distance whereupon passage is provided through the central opening of the screw into the tube 1I. The lower end of the filling screw 11 is in turn closed by a screw cap 18.

To ll the tubes I3 and I4 with a shock absorber fluid, such as a dewaxed oil, the screw cap 18 is removed, the screw 11 is slightly withdrawn from its closed position and oil or iiuid forced upwardly through the screw 11 into and. through the tube 1I to force the oil into the telescoping tubes. Upon removal of the grease gun excess oil may be permitted to flow out until its level reaches the upper end of the tube 1I, thus entrapping a predetermined amount of fluid in the apparatus, thereupon the screw 11 is screwed tightly in position and the screw cap 18 replaced, thereby providing a double seal against the escape of fluid.

As the piston 58 approaches the bottom of tube I3 on a compression stroke the oil is forced upwardly through the hollow stem into the spaces above the piston. The oil is permitted to ilow under light resistance upwardly through the hollow stem 58 and the openings 55 into the spacesv above the piston.V The escapement of the oil above the piston upon rebound is, however, controlled by progressive resistance. For this purpose the space about the piston is divided into two chambers by means of a collar 80 threaded into the upper end of the tubular element I3 and having a horizontal partition 8| provided with suitable perforations to form a series of spaced valve seats.

An annular check valve 82 is supported slightly spaced below the lower face of the partition 8| by means of a split ring 83 in such a manner that oil may flow from above the partition through the openings into the space below it, as would be the case when the piston 58 is descending. Otherwise expressed, the oil may flow through all of the openings 65 above the partition BI and thence downwardly into the space between the piston 58 and the partition 8 I, which space is increasing upon a compression Stroker The space in the tube I3 above the partition 8I also acts as a reservoir for a reverse supply of oil for the hydraulic shock absorber.

On rebound, however, the check valve 82 is forced upwardly closing the opening in the partition 8| and thereby restricting the flow of fluid from the space above the piston 58 to only those `openings below the partition 8|.Y This flow is relatively more rapid in the lowermost position of the piston 53 at the beginning of the rebound stroke as there will be more of the openings below the partition 8|. However, as the apparatus approaches the end of the rebound the number of free passages decreases and greater resistance is thus provided.

To enable the telescoping tubes I3 and I4 to slide with a minimum of friction and wear, theA ring 34 is recessed to form about the tube I3 a space which is lled with anti-friction rings 84, and the collar 88 is similarly provided with a recess adjacent the tube I4 which is filled with anti-friction rings B5.

Also in the outer surface of the collar 88 near the upper end is provided a groove to receive a piston wiper ring 86 having a groove in its circumference from which lead a number of small ports 81.

vIn order to prevent the entrapment of air in the upper part of the tube I4, openings 88 are provided through which air may pass to and from the bellows or air spring into the space in the upper part of the tube I4.

To prevent oil from being carried at mist into the bellows a chamber 8S encloses the opening 88 and is filled with filtering material, such as steel wool or the like, as shown at 9E. Air may leave the chamber 89 through the opening 9|.

It will be apparent that the form and construction of the various elements of the combination may be changed or modified to suit specific conditions and that the above embodiment is merely given by way of example.

Rsum

other cause, the base II and the supporting ele-` ment I2 are brought closer together compressing the bellows IIJ. At the same time the tube I4 approaches closer tothe bottom of member I! carrying with it the collar 34. This permits the locking sleeve 3l to be in the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. The air compressed in the bellows may ow freely through the valves 2I and 22 into the reservoirs I8 and 28. At the sameA time the oil or shock absorber fluid flows from the space below the piston 58 upwardly through' egeseee 'thefopenings =into`the spaces-above the piston. Uponrebound the vair compressed in the bellows or A'ai-r vspring IU tends t0 throw the supporting Velement1|2 upwardly'and togiveita substantial momentum. This is'checked bythe fact-that the amounto-f air Ein the bellows has beendecreased by the amount that has been-displaced into the reservoirs -|9 and y2E) so that the 'expansive -foroe -of lthe Iair vexpends itself -more rapidly and -with less violence.

As the supporting element l2 approaches its vnormal-loaded position the valve check sleeve 3l islifted to its full line position and the valves 29 and '30 are opened thus permitting -air entra-pped under-pressurein Ithe reservoirs 9 and '-20 to iow `back into the bellows or air spring to restore the initial supporting pressure in the bellows. At the same time jthe upward stroke of the piston 58 rforces the check valve 82 closed, then the liquid between piston 58 and partition 8| is foreed'through; ports 65 into thehollow'stem '60, inasmuch as the piston must displace this liquid as it rises. rIfhe resistance to this displacement also increases progressively as the piston rises as :the number of openings i65 below the partition 3l through which the o ilflows decreases with the rise of the cylinder and the stein Bil. The rebound, therefore, is vchecked .by the entrapment of a partlof the air ,compressed cna compression stroke and its exclusion from the bellows untilnear the end of the rebound, and also by the increasing resistance to :dow of the shock absorber uid.

v YWhat I claimis:

l. A pneumatic spring comprising va pneumatic bellowsa reservoir communicating with saidbel.- lows, la check valve opening from said bellows to said reservoir, a second check-valve opening from said reservoir to said bellows. and a locking means movable by said ,bellows when compressed to a predetermined distance to hold said second check v alveclosed and to release said valve when said bellows expands above said predetermined distance.

2. A spring which comprises a pneumatic bellows, a support for said bellows, a pair of vtele-- scoping tubes extending upwardly through said bellows, the lower of said 4tubes beingseouredlto said support and the upper of said tubes to the upperpart of said bellows, the tubes telescoping whensaid bellows is compressed, a reservoir cornmunicating .with saidbellows and having a check valve opening inwardly to said reservoir yand .a second check valve opening outwardly -to said bellows, a -meinber slidably carried by the upper of lsaid Ytelescoping tubes and positioned to hol-d said second check valve closed when'said upper telescoping tube is Vbelow a predetermined 'position.

3. A spring which comprises a pneumatic bellows, a support for said bellows, a pair of telescoping tubes extending upwardly through said bellows, the lower of said ,tubes being secured to said support and the ,upper of said tubes to the upperpart of saidbellows to telescope when said bellows is compressema reservoir communicating with said bellowsand having a check valveopening inwardly to said reservoir and a `second check valve V openingoutwardly to said bellows, a valve v control sleeve carried'slidably on said upper telescoping tube to move with said tube in position to hold Asaid second check valve closed when the upper tube is below a predetermined level relative f saidlQWer ytuba ISU 4. A Aspring -whi-chfcomprises a pneumatic 1bellows, a support for said bellows, la pair of'te'lescoping tubes extending upwardly through -said bellows,lthelowerof said tubes being secured-to said support and the upper-of said tubes `'to `vthe upper -part or-said bellows to vtelescope when said bellows is compressed, a 'reservoir communicating with saidbellows and Ehaving a check valve opening-inwardly in said reservoir and a second check valve opening outwardly to-said bellows, a -cheolr valve control vmember carried by the upper of said telescoping'tubestomovewith said tube in position to hold said second check valve `closed `when the tubes telescope 'and "to -release it whenthey extendl to a vpredetermined distance, a piston slidable in the lower or said telescoping tubes and having a hollow stem extending upwardly and secured to the upper part of said bellows, said stem having longitudinally -spaced perforations, a partition enclosing said-stem above said piston and a downwardly opening check valve in said partition.

V5. The spring of claim 4 Ahaving a llingtube extending upwardly through said piston uand stem to a rlevel above said partition.

6. The spring of claim 4 having communication between'said Jbellows and the upper of saidtelescoping tubes to permit the free passage cf air therebetween.

'7. A spring which comprises a base, `a tube fixed on and extending upwardly from said base, a partition dividing said tube into an upper and a lower space, saidpartitionhaving a valve opening and a downwardly opening check valve, a tube telescopng and slidable `fluid-tighten said lixed tube, a piston slidable in said fixed tube and having a hollow stem extending through said partition and secured at its upper Aend to said sliding tube, said stern having vertically spaced openings, a shoulder on the lower end of said sliding tube, a bellows secured at its upper end to `said sliding tube and -at its lower end to said base and providing a space about said tubes,.a reservoir having an inlet check valve Vfrom said bellows and an outward check valve Ato said bellows, a sleeve carriedon said `shoulder and extending in a position .to wedge `said .outward check valveclosed `when said telescoping tubes shorten and vto lift ,and free said check valve when said tubes lengthen to va .predetermined distance.

8. A pneumatic spring comprisingfa-lpneumatic bellows, a reservoir communicating with said bellows, a check valve to permit movement of air from said bellows to said reservoir, a return valve from said reservoir to said bellows and means actuated by said bellows when compressed below a fixed distance to close said return valve and to open said return valve above said distance.

9. A pneumatic spring comprising a pneumatic bellows, a reservoir communicating with said bellows, a pair of telescoping tubes within said bellows, a check valve to yadmit iluid from said bellows to said reservoir, a return valve and a lock on said telescoping `tubes to close saidreturn valve when said tubes are ltelescoped below `a xed distance and to release said .valve valcove said distance.

10. The pneumatic spring of v claim 9 having a piston slidable in-said tubes within thelmovement of `said bellows Aand a valve to permitiuid to flow ,from the space. :below :said piston to vthe.

9 space above it and to permit a. restricted flow of fluid in opposite directions.

STEPHEN LEONARD CHAUNCEY COLEMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,142,162 Gruss June 8, 1915 1,488,646 Nygaard Apr. 7, 1924 Number m Number Name Date Gouirand Sept. 29, 1925 Saforcada Nov. 13, 1934 Mercier Feb. 18, 1936 Johnson Mar. 9, 1943 Thornhill May 2, 1944 Brown Jan. 22, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date `Italy Sept. 4, 1931 

